COLLEGE SAVINGS 101

College savings

The highly-anticipated Savingforcollege.com 529 plan rankings are here! This slideshow features our most recent top 10 list of direct-sold 529 plans for one-year investment performance. *Three-year performance rankings as of 09/30/2017

In addition to federal benefits, many states offer full or partial state tax deductions for contributions to a 529 plan. This map helps you get a better idea of how much your state's tax benefit may be worth.

The highly-anticipated Savingforcollege.com 529 plan rankings are here! This slideshow features our most recent top ten list of direct-sold 529 plans for one-year investment performance. *Three-year performance rankings as of 03/31/2017

Many states are promoting May 29 (5/29) as a day with special meaning, and are looking to boost interest and participation in their 529 savings programs with various sweepstakes, contests and incentives.

The highly-anticipated Savingforcollege.com 529 plan rankings are here! This slideshow features our most recent top ten list of direct-sold 529 plans for one-year investment performance. *Three-year performance rankings as of 12/31/2016

According to Savingforcollege.com's Annual College Savings Survey, a person's gender may impact the way they save and pay for college. What's more, these differences may exist across a broader spectrum of financial attitudes and behaviors.

The highly-anticipated Savingforcollege.com 529 plan rankings are here! This slideshow features our most recent top ten list of direct-sold 529 plans for one-year investment performance. *Three-year performance rankings as of 06/30/16

The highly-anticipated Savingforcollege.com 529 plan rankings are here! This slideshow features our most recent top ten list of direct-sold 529 plans for one-year investment performance. *Three-year performance rankings as of 03/31/16

The results of two recent surveys reveal that there's still an opportunity for Savingforcollege.com and financial advisors to educate families about the importance of including college savings in their overall financial plan.

Although 529 college savings accounts have been around for years, there are common misconceptions about the plans. Learn the truth behind these seven myths and you'll set yourself up for smarter college investing.

Wondering just to how go about opening a 529 plan? You're not alone! According to our 2nd annual Annual College Savings Survey, 86 percent of those who intend to open a 529 plan don't know the steps involved. Don't worry - we're here to help!

According to new data from the College Savings Foundation, more and more parents are saving for college while their child is still very young. Here's why starting to save early and using a 529 plan is a winning combination.

College can be one of the largest expenses a family will ever face. There are a number of different options available to help you reach your goal, and here are a few things to consider before choosing the one that’s right for you.

Sallie Mae's 2015 'How America Pays For College' report is fairly consistent with 2014's findings in how American families prepare for the costs of higher education. Here are 9 changes in some saving attitudes and behaviors that we thought we worth noting.

Happy Earth Day! Did you know that you can help preserve the environment by saving for college? Here are four investment managers that offer Socially Responsible Investment options through 529 college savings plans.

Way back before smart phones, Netflix and Facebook, many families were using savings bonds as a way to set aside money for college. If you're still holding on to your bonds - is it time for an upgrade?

There are many reasons for considering a change in 529 plans. Marguerita Cheng of Blue Ocean Global Wealth explains how to transfer funds from one 529 plan to another without incurring tax consequences.

Whether you're a new parent, grandparent or a prospective student, a 529 plan can help you build a college savings fund. Here's a quick video that introduces the 529 plan and highlights why we feel 529 plans are the best way for families to save for college.

As tuition prices continue to skyrocket, many states are actively trying to raise awareness about the importance of saving for college. At this year's College Savings Foundation Conference, representatives from several states shared their thoughts with us on the best ways to promote saving for college.

Just how much of an effect does a college fund have on the likelihood that a student will have to borrow? In this podcast, Kathryn Flynn and Melinda Lewis discuss new research on the relationship between saving for college and student debt.

Many workers feel that help with saving for college is a key piece missing from their benefits package. Kathryn Flynn and Christian Duffus of LEAF College Savings discuss why we rarely see college savings plans offered as employee benefits.

To get in the spirit of the upcoming March Madness basketball tournament, we're giving you the opportunity to win some great prizes. Enter our Facebook photo contest for a chance to win a $250 cash scholarship and two fitbits!

Join us again this year and challenge yourself to find room in your family budget for college savings. Keep track of what you're able to save for the next 40 days, and keep us posted on how it's going!

When it comes to choosing the best way to save for college, many people turn to tax-advantaged investment vehicles like Roth IRAs and 529 college savings plans. If you're on the fence about which savings vehicle to use, take a look at this breakdown of how each one works.

To celebrate College Savings Month, we’re featuring exciting new content dedicated to sharing our knowledge and answering your questions regarding 529 college savings plans and other planning tools. Here’s a quick list of what we’re currently offering.

Studies have shown that kids who are involved in family finances are much more likely to save money themselves, yet many parents still have reluctance when it comes to discussing financial matters with their kids.

We are constantly striving to come up with new and improved tools that will help you answer some of your toughest college savings questions. See how these six calculators can assist you with your budgeting and planning decisions:

This month, we’re offering a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card just for sharing a photo of your proudest parent or grandparent moment with us. Post your proudest moment on our Facebook wall for your chance to win!

Looking for the perfect gift? Whether you are shopping for a kindergartener, eighth grader or even a high school student, here are 10 reasons why a contribution to a college savings fund will always be appreciated.

If saving for college while you shop sounds like your cup of tea, you might want to consider a credit card that will pay you back in the form of 529 plan contributions. Here are four credit cards that offer college savings rewards.

You’re the parent of a high school junior, which means in just two years your child will be on his or her way to college. In this week’s College Savings Timeline, we discuss the five most important college planning steps for the final years of high school.

Having kids and the expenses to go with them can sometimes put savings goals on hold. Whether your first baby just arrived or your oldest is headed to middle school, it’s never too late to get your family’s savings plan back on track. Here are four tips on how to get started.

Mark your calendars! In honor of 529 Day, Thursday, May 29th at 1:00pm ET Savingforcollege.com is hosting a live webcast featuring the industry’s top experts. This is your chance to ask questions regarding 529 plans, financial aid and where college savings fits into your family’s financial plan.

In addition to allowing you to track funds in a bank or investment account, there are also mobile apps available that offer some fantastic planning tools. This slide show highlights five apps that help parents, students and grandparents plan for the future costs of college.

Recent survey data has indicated that parents' misunderstanding of 529 plans may be a significant barrier to their use of them. In this slideshow we present five of the biggest 529 plan myths along with the facts to set the record straight.

Experts agree that there is a strong need for education on financial products and services, and that the younger these topics are introduced, the better. This includes the area of 529 plans, where confusion is still common.

The results of our Annual College Savings Survey show that there are still many people who are unclear about the functionality of 529 plans. In this post, we discuss six common misconceptions and reveal the correct answers to help clear up some of the confusion.

As college costs in America rise faster than the rate of inflation and total student loan debt surpasses $1 trillion, more relatives are exploring the idea of helping pay tuition for grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Our survey results indicate many of our readers feel comfortable selecting their own investments, but there may be situations in which an advisor-sold 529 plan could be a better fit. Here are a few key questions to ask yourself:

Total assets in 529 plans, which stood at $227 billion as of December 31, 2013, saw a 19% increase over the previous year's $190 billion total. Sounds pretty good, right? Actually, it’s a bit disappointing to me.

Many future college students should be feeling lucky this St. Patrick’s Day. A recent report announced that total investments in 529 college savings plans hit a record level of $227 billion. However, families still have a long way to get to the end of the rainbow.

In the following video Joseph Hurley, Founder of Savingforcollege.com, explains the different ways Grandparents can assist with paying for tuition, taking issues like financial aid and taxes into consideration.

The Annual College Savings Survey was designed to shed light on consumer beliefs and actions in relation to 529 plans. The results uncovered a number of key findings that we are excited to share with our readers in a new series of blog posts.

Regardless of your religious beliefs, Lent can be a great time to focus on good spending habits. Over the next 40 days, we challenge our readers to find ways to cut their budget and make room for college savings.

Whether you are a new parent, grandparent or professional advisor, we are committed to offering the most timely and relevant college savings content while encouraging interaction, comments and feedback.

When we asked parents to grade their college savings progress, they gave themselves a B-minus. While there’s definitely room for improvement to bump that to an “A,” we found that many are taking steps in the right direction, with more families saving in 529 college savings plans (up 5% from 2012) and 61% having a financial plan in place to help reach college goals.